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Metaphor
Explanation and Analysis—Antonio's Speech:
The Tempest brims with ingenious metaphors. In Act 2, Scene 1, for instance, Antonio uses metaphors and an instance of personification in his effort to convince Sebastian to murder his brother, Alonso. Speaking about Alonso, Antonio says:
Whom I, with this obedient steel, three inches of it,
Can lay to bed for ever; whiles you, doing thus,
To the perpetual wink for aye might put
This ancient morsel, this Sir Prudence, who
Should not upbraid our course. For all the rest,
They'll take suggestion as a cat laps milk;
They'll tell the clock to any business that
We say befits the hour.
The phrase "obedient steel" personifies Antonio's knife, framing it as loyal to Antonio—and, in turn, showcasing Antonio's thirst for control. Antonio emphasizes the fact that his own weapon obeys him, even though it never had a choice. "Perpetual wink" metaphorically refers to the eternal sleep of death. It sounds cheeky, but it has grim implications. Similarly, "ancient morsel" refers to Gonzalo, because Antonio considers him to be an old piece of flesh. This is also a very dehumanizing epithet that helps distance Antonio from the emotional fallout of his suggested plan for him and Sebastian to murder Gonzalo and Alonso. On the whole, Antonio seems very enthusiastic about the potential murder, but his evasive language implies his desire to distance himself from wrongdoing. For instance, he does not say "my knife"; he says "obedient steel," as if he doesn't want to specifically name his weapon. Likewise, "perpetual wink" is a much softer term than "death."
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